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Engineer 47 January–April 2014 A ssuring mobility is the cornerstone of the Task Force Bayonet mission in Afghanistan. An integral . part of this robust task force are the "Otters" of the 1438th Multirole Bridge Company (MRBC). From conduct- ing monthly bridge inspections along Highway 1 through- out each regional command, retrograding bridge equipment, training Afghan partners in the Ministry of Public Works, and being constantly prepared to execute theater emergency bridge repairs, the 1438th MRBC bridges the gap to create enduring solutions. The Tom Bridge in Helmand Province is key to maintain- ing lines of communication along Highway 1. Built across the Helmand River in 1964 by the Soviet Union, the bridge is an essential artery, providing commerce for local nation- als and facilitating combat and retrograde operations in Regional Command–Southwest. After an improvised explo- sive device struck a logistic convoy in the spring of 2012, damage to the bridge needed repairs. Overbridging was the best temporary course of action, but a long-term solu- tion was critical for future operations. Overbridging is the primary means to rapidly restore a line of communication by augmenting existing bridges or spans using standard or tactical bridging. 1 A previous MRBC had emplaced a six-bay Mabey-Johnson bridge. As local work progressed through the regional Department of Public Works, the bridge had to be moved 1 meter to allow the contractor to work under- neath it. After conducting several reconnaissance missions, the 1438th added a span to the existing overbridge to allow the contractor to complete his work. This shift of the bridge then facilitated a permanent Afghan solution to Tom Bridge. Approximately a month later, the 1438th removed the over- bridge from the repaired section. W e never truly appreciate gap-crossing operations until faced with these natural obstacles in a deployed environment. A unit must observe the following six fundamentals for gap-crossing operations: ■ Surprise. ■ Extensive preparation. ■ Flexible planning. ■ Traffc management. ■ Organization. ■ Speed. 2 Task Force Bayonet achieved these fundamentals through persistent communication and representation at the combined and joint levels. Communication was critical to By Captain Dane M. Hanson EN Hanson.1.indd 50 3/12/2014 1:22:03 PM